Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.0.Beta5/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id LAA19681; Sun, 8 Nov 1998 11:36:09 -0500 (EST) Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 11:36:09 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <3.0.5.16.19981108122922.31b74ce0@toad.net> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Chris <copple@toad.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:2489] Re: : effective teacher - cultural X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (16) The United States is not culturally diverse. We have a tolerant society in which individuals are free to practice a wide variety of customs. But there are limits. I am biased. I do think (as apparently do you) that the American system is generally superior to the alternatives. In my case, it is because of the values I grew up with - the values reflected in american culture. In your case, it is a value judgment that caused you to leave your native culture in favor of the United States. Was ther nothing in your native culture that you are glad you left behind? I consider it barbaric that the Chinese, and other people would consider sex-selection abortion, or that women should be relegated to being housewives - as is their only choice in some countries. I don't seek to change their way of life, but I hope not to have their way of life become acceptable in the United States. Can you say that you disagree? I don't claim that we shoule eradicate stereotypes, or ethnocentrism. We should recognize that we are ethnocentric. It is not the duty of a host country to wait until an immigrant is "ready to assimilate". It is the place of the immigrant to conform to the standards of his host nation. By coming to the US - even as a visitor - you agree to abide American laws from the moment you set foot in the country. Similarly, an American travelling abroad is subject to the laws and customs of the country they travel to. An American who brings pornographty to an Muslim country deserves whatever punishment their laws require - no matter how excessive or barbaric it is to american values. Foreign music, graphic and other arts, religion, philosophy, and almost every other valuable cultural expression is accepted in the US. What isn't and shouldn't be tolerated - even for a day - are attutudes and behaviors that are inconsistent with American life. Men and women in the US collaborate on all kinds of projects. A person unable or unwilling to accept this isn't going to do very well. Pretending that it is OK for the boys & girls to be separated isn't doing the students any favor. You allow them to (falsely) believe that they will always be able to avoid wotrking with the opposite sex. As to youe utterly unsupportable ascertion that I only know about the bad things in foreign cultures, I don't know what agenda you hope to promote with these falsehoods. It is an undeniable fact that, in some cultures, all of the things I've described are considered normative behavior. Do you deny this? By requiring immigrants (and visitors) to abide american law, we necessarily deprive them of the ability to practice some aspects of their native culture. Should we allow Japanese business men in the United States to discriminate against Koreans - until they are ready to accept our notion that Koreans are their equals? You, yourself say we shouldn't. At 09:26 AM 11/8/98 -0500, you wrote: >To Chris-- >country, and I consciously chose to live in the United States, precisely >because of the cultural diversity! I find your attitude regarding other >cultures biased and demeaning. Is only western (translate "American") >society "worthwhile" society? Your knowledge of other cultures seems to >be limited to topless women, loin cloths, wife and child beaters, women >who make pottery, and men who go off hunting. In your writing, you >demonstrate the very behavior and attitude you proclaim we must >eradicate: stereotyping and ethnocentrism. > >An effective teacher aims to introduce the student to the new culture by >explaining the culture, including the "undesirable" aspects of it (and >we have plenty of those), its laws and mores, while permitting the >student to retain some of his or her own cultural identity until he or >she is ready to accept our way of life. Of course they must be made to >understand that wife-beating is unacceptable in our society and carries >grave consequences. However, it is possible, you know, to explain your >own culture without cutting down theirs! > >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Jan 11 2000 - 13:27:17 EST